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VIA Rail

The length of time could be related to a number of things from short term contract to not the right fit on both sides. Then taking something until the right position shows up.

That said, track record raises a number of flags for me if I was doing the hiring and need more info on a few other things.
 
PinkLucy said:
How old is he? Did he try out retirement and didn’t like it? Did he take a break to raise children? Was there a personal situation that prevented him from working?
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Not without controversy, although at a very unusual time given Covid, arrival and departure of Andy Byford, etc

Ex-MTA exec Mario Peloquin raked in $411K salary while working remotely from Canada​


MTA second-in-command quits, returns to Canada​


New York’s MTA Hires Canadian Executive as Operations Chief​


Drama at the MTA​


- Paul

edit -

As MTA Touts Improvements, Outgoing Transit Chief Andy Byford Drifts From Limelight
 
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Without knowing the details of each position, he might well have been hired into his various positions to deal with a particular problem/initiative/project, etc. Movement at the higher corporate levels in some industries is not unusual, and once you develop a decent reputation, you get to negotiate a staff position rather than a contracted consultant. He might have developed a reputation as a fixer/hired gun/mechanic or whatever the buzzword is these days. Although I'm not sure I'd be proud of having Ottawa LRT on my CV.
 
lenaitch said:
Without knowing the details of each position, he might well have been hired into his various positions to deal with a particular problem/initiative/project, etc. Movement at the higher corporate levels in some industries is not unusual, and once you develop a decent reputation, you get to negotiate a staff position rather than a contracted consultant. He might have developed a reputation as a fixer/hired gun/mechanic or whatever the buzzword is these days. Although I'm not sure I'd be proud of having Ottawa LRT on my CV.
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Based on the timing, it looks like it would be the trillium line, which was quite a successful project that ran on a low budget and exceeded expectations. It is unlikely, but if he could mimic the success of that line at a larger scale for VIA, it would be a huge win.
 
PinkLucy said:
How old is he? Did he try out retirement and didn’t like it? Did he take a break to raise children? Was there a personal situation that prevented him from working?
Click to expand...
I'd be surprised if he's older than 62 looking at the dates.

That name rings a bell for some reason. But perhaps there's a better known person with the same surname.
 
smallspy said:
Have you ever rode one? The Park Car is perfectly useful even with a buffer car or something else behind it.

Dan
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A Park Car is a dome/observation/bar/sleeper car. With a buffer car added, it is still perfectly good as a dome, bar, and sleeper car. It is only the ability to look at the track behind you that is lost (the highlight feature of an observation car).
 
roger1818 said:
A Park Car is a dome/observation/bar/sleeper car. With a buffer car added, it is still perfectly good as a dome, bar, and sleeper car. It is only the ability to look at the track behind you that is lost (the highlight feature of an observation car).
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As someone who has ridden in a Park Car countless times.....

The view out the back is quite frequently overrated, and often is awkward to do if you are sitting beside others on the bench.

The dome is far preferable.

Dan
 
smallspy said:
As someone who has ridden in a Park Car countless times.....

The view out the back is quite frequently overrated, and often is awkward to do if you are sitting beside others on the bench.

The dome is far preferable.

Dan
Click to expand...

I don't disagree. I said it is the highlight feature of an "observation" car, but since Park cars are an observation/dome car, they are far superior to standard observation cars.

As a railfan I enjoy it, but I agree that the dome is preferable (I spent far more time in the dome than in the observation seats, but I spend a decent amount of time in the observation seats).

Thinking back, the big attraction back of the Park Car was the social engagement, with everyone facing each other. That wouldn't be affected by a buffer car, unless fewer people sit there because of the lack of view.
 
If you contrast the Park car (or any inward facing lounge car with good window views) with Amtrak's Superliner lounges - which have outward facing seats along the center line of the car - I would rate the inward facing seats as a much better passenger experience for the majority of passengers. The socialising aspects while enjoying a side window are material to many travellers and the view does not need to be perfect so long as one can enjoy it in a fair measure. (on my Canadian rides, I have inwardly cringed at people who bury themselves in a book or a movie on their tablet - but to each their own).

I know a number of people who rode the Canadian during the buffer car era - some enthusiasts, and some not - and not one has complained that the buffer car ruined their experience as a passenger.

Having said that, it will be an interesting challenge for VIA when and if a replacement fleet is designed - how to create a superior passenger experience and enable sightseeing. I suspect that domes and round end observations will not longer meet crashworthiness standards, and flexibility may dictate an end to dedicated rear-end cars. Again, I have my preferences, but that's just one opinion, and the designers may have others.

- Paul
 
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